My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef

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Kwame Onwuachi takes us on a culinary tour through the African diaspora in this gorgeous follow-up to his 2019 Notes From A Young Black Chef. This book is filled with gorgeous photography and bright, bold flavors celebrating the history and beauty of American cooking at its best. Recommended By Deana R., Powells.com

What is American food? In his first cookbook, Kwame Onwuachi ("the most important chef in America" — San Francisco Chronicle), the acclaimed author of Notes from a Young Black Chef, shares the dishes of his America; dishes that show the true diversity of American food.

Featuring more than 125 recipes, My America is a celebration of the food of the African Diaspora, as handed down through Onwuachi's own family history, spanning Nigeria to the Caribbean, the South to the Bronx, and beyond. From Nigerian Jollof, Puerto Rican Red Bean Sofrito, and Trinidadian Channa (Chickpea) Curry to Jambalaya, Baby Back Ribs, and Red Velvet Cake, these are global home recipes that represent the best of the patchwork that is American cuisine. Interwoven throughout the book are stories of Onwuachi's travels, illuminating the connections between food and place, and food and culture. The result is a deeply personal tribute to the food of "a land that belongs to you and yours and to me and mine."

"Kwame's powerful, lyrical book is part memoir, part cookbook, but also all memoir and all cookbook. It's other things, too — a history of food, a collection of mouth-watering photographs, and a repository of wisdom." Questlove, best-selling author of Music Is History

“One man's unique gastronomic journey proves universally appealing in this hearty collection.” Publishers Weekly

"My America is a must-have for anyone who wants to be a better cook. Each recipe is an insight into Kwame's family, travels, and time spent in some of the best kitchens in the world. This book will expand your pantry with spices and ingredients that are so delicious and that really should be in every kitchen everywhere. I want to make the Egusi Stew for dinner tonight — so good!" David Chang, chef and founder of Momofuku and best-selling author of Eat a Peach

"Kwame Onwuachi uses his own story as a vehicle for sharing recipes from the African diaspora. These dishes — from the United States, the Caribbean, Nigeria, and elsewhere — as honed by his expert palate and tremendous talent, are American food at its finest." Angela Rye, social justice advocate, lawyer, and award-winning host of "On One with Angela Rye"

"My America is a culinary journey that's well seasoned with many flavors of the diaspora. Kwame pays respect to the ancestors, using his culinary chops to remix their food to show the beauty of his people." Marcus Samuelsson, best-selling author of Yes, Chef

"I love My America — not only for its vibrant, delicious, and seasonal recipes that explore the African diaspora, but for the moving story Kwame tells: how food knits together our communi¬ties, celebrates and preserves our cultures, and intimately connects us to the land and the people we came from." Alice Waters, chef and owner of Chez Panisse and author of We Are What We Eat

"In My America, Chef Kwame Onuwuachi's story continues with recipes! He offers us his culinary vision of an inclusive nation. 'His' America revels in Nigerian suya and Creole hash browns, Trinidad callaloo and Southern collard greens. There's braised oxtail, egusi with goat, and a repertoire of dishes that delight with the bright tastes of the African Atlantic world. It is a savory nation, indeed, and I am proud to be a citizen." Jessica B. Harris, best-selling author of High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America

Kwame Onwuachi is a James Beard Award-winning chef, who was raised in the Bronx, Nigeria, and Louisiana. A former contest and now a recurring judge on Top Chef, Onwuachi has been named Esquire's Chef of the Year, one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs, and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America and opened five restaurants before turning thirty. Onwuachi is the author of Notes from a Young Black Chef.

Joshua David Stein is a Brooklyn-based author and journalist. He is the co-author of Notes from a Young Black Chef, with Kwame Onwuachi; Il Buco: Stories and Recipes with Donna Lennard; and The Nom Wah Cookbook with Wilson Tang and the author of Cooking for Your Kids.